This invention relates to a relatively small hinge assembly for a lid or cover or the like, and in particular to a hinge assembly for a lid or cover which, when opened, is intended to remain in an open position and not swing shut.
The invention relates particularly to a hinge assembly for a lid or cover which, when raised, is intended to remain in the raised position and not fall down.
In a co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 509,361, filed June 30, 1983 by James H. Vickers, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,884, issued Jan. 1, 1985, assigned to Southco, Inc., the assignee of the present application, an adjustable friction hinge assembly is described and claimed in which the friction between the hinge pin and the middle knuckle of a two-leaf three-knuckle assembly is controllable. In the Vickers construction, the hinge pin in the two spaced-apart knuckles is fixed against rotation, and the frictional resistance to movement of the two leaves relative to each other is controlled solely by adjustment of the middle or clamping knuckle. This control is achieved by adjusting an adjustment screw to tighten or to loosen the embracement of the cylindrical central portion of the hinge pin by the middle knuckle.
The adjustable friction hinge which is the subject of the present application is entirely different in design from that used by Vickers.